John Pienaar

political commentator and presenter

John Pienaar is a seasoned political reporter and presenter. He sees his job as beating a path through the forest of Government spin. Ever since his original, often controversial parliamentary sketch for The Independent, he has acted as tour guide and translator of goings-on in the Westminster village.

John originally trained at South London Press, covering whatever was occurring on his doorstep. He then became an Old Bailey Correspondent and even wrote an angling column (without ever having held a fishing rod).

Instantly recognisable to television news audiences, John has spent hundreds of hours standing in the rain outside 10 Downing Street.